The Influence of Anti-Corruption Legislation on the Codes of Ethics of Organizations Certified by Pró-Ética 2017 in the Light of Institutional Theory

Authors

  • Rachel Constantino de Miranda UFRJ - Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro
  • Ana Carolina Pimentel Duarte da Fonseca UFRJ - Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.4013/base.2023.201.02

Keywords:

Codes of Ethics, Compliance, Institutional Theory

Abstract

Based on Institutional Theory, the research aims to describe and investigate how the contents of the codes of ethics of companies certified with the 2017 Pro-Ethics Seal, considering different sizes and sectors, are differentiated according to the specifics of their businesses regarding compliance aspects. In a study with a qualitative and quantitative approach, through document analysis of 23 codes of ethics, mention was made of the adoption of 17 anti-corruption categories that impact business transaction costs. As a result, it was found that codes of ethics: i) reflect the categories that deal with compliance programs; ii) in the comparison between sizes and sectors, they present coercive (legislation) and mimetic (organizations) isomorphism traces in different intensities; iii) indications that larger companies adopt compliance mechanisms that are more consistent with their specificities and adapting their transaction costs; and iv) the transaction costs covered in its contents are not always consistent with the legal compliance risk profiles (small and third sector companies). It is concluded that the codes of ethics need improvements in the alignment of their contents, to represent an effective compliance program, according to sizes, sectors and business risks.

Keywords: Codes of Ethics, Compliance, Institutional Theory.

Author Biographies

Rachel Constantino de Miranda, UFRJ - Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro

Graduated in Accounting from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (1998), Postgraduate from the Fluminense Federal University (UFF) in Controllership and Finance and Specialization in Business Management from Coppead. Master's student in Accounting at UFRJ.

She is currently an accountant at Transportadora Brasileira Gasoduto Bolivía-Brasil acting as coordinator of accounting and accounts payable. Professional experience in the areas of controllership, finance, taxes, costs, equity, compliance and internal controls. Acting as head and coordinator of the tax department, developing routines and departmental process flows and participating in team training.

Ana Carolina Pimentel Duarte da Fonseca, UFRJ - Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro

  PhD in Administration from the Graduate and Research Institute in Administration of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (COPPEAD/ UFRJ). Full Professor at the Faculty of Administration and Accounting Sciences, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (FACC/UFRJ), where she teaches in the Administration Course (undergraduate) and in the Masters in Accounting Sciences. As part of her Master's Degree in Accounting, she participates in the research project on Brazilian Companies in an Internationalized Context. She has developed research in the areas of Organizational Culture, Management Control, Strategy, Public Management and International Management. (Text provided by the author)

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Published

2023-06-24

Issue

Vol. 20 No. 1 (2023): JAN/MAR

Section

Articles

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